Customer Reviews

Out of Sync: A Memoir

5 star:		(16)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(6)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I had no idea when picking up Lance Bass's memoir that I would be going on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I expected the book to be fluffy, light-hearted, and not really touch on anything too personal, since Bass has a reputation for being a very private person. However, the book really grabs your heart and doesn't let go; EVERYTHING is in here, from Bass's happy Southern childhood to his teenage years growing up in the public eye, from struggles and betrayal in the very cut-throat music industry to his much publicized spaceflight plans, and, finally, the personal turmoil he often went through in his private and romantic life.

What I liked most about the book was that, even in the face of hardship, Lance appears to have an almost sarcastic, dry humor about life, much like fellow gay literaries David Sedaris and Augusten Burroughs. For example, he always lets the reader know his true underlying feelings, even if his words at the time express differently. There are also many sad parts of the book that make you want to reach out and give Lance a hug. In one scene, he expresses loneliness and longing for the true love that his bandmates had with their girlfriends, and mentions not having the opportunity to have sexual intercourse until age 21. His track record with men seems rather terrible as well - three out of the four men mentioned in the book end up hurting him - yet, amazingly, Bass keeps a positive attitude about everyone in his life, saying that despite not talking to certain people anymore, he still wants them to be okay.

And that's the way you end up feeling about Lance: you just want him to be okay. Lance comes across as very sweet and likeable in the book. He seems to take his Christianity very seriously, and assures his mother that he will go to Heaven when he dies. All in all, he just seems like a good person, a young guy who's trying to live a morally good life despite being a target of American tabloids and blogs. The stories he tells in this book are inspiring to young people of any race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation, because they feel like they're coming from a very genuine place, and because they're stories of someone who has gone through so much, both good and bad, and still manages to wake up every day with a smile on his face.

If you're looking to find explicit details and juicy gossip about Lance or N'Sync or anything about show business in this book you will not. Lance has kept the book clean and nice. I would have loved for the book to have been longer. A mere 180+ pages doesn't do it justice. But it is a good read. I would have liked to have learned more about Lance's struggles as a gay young man growing up but its all summed up in one paragraph in the first chapter. I would also have liked to have learned more about his family life as well. He has chosen to keep most things private. There is plenty of the "business" aspect of N'SYNC and his "Cosmonaut" training. I'd say 3/4 of the book is just on those two things and the hurt and betrayal he felt when the band broke up and the Space deal went up in smoke (no pun intended). I would have loved to have heard more about the "road" life with his music partners. But maybe he would have been saying "too much". I get the sense that even though he praises, acknowledges and thanks his fellow band mates, that Justin Timberlake was a huge egomaniac who thought of no one but himself and would do anything to become a huge star. Lance is also quite "mum" about his sexual life and partners (having only been in 4 committed relationships and three of those men used him and cheated on him leaving him vulnerable and with low-self-esteem). But he also states he's grown from each one of those experiences. He acknowledges two of his former "partners" but states that Reichen Lehmkuhl was badly perceived by the public and that people warned him about dating a "player". So one gets the sense that he's still sadder but wiser (not bitter or angry, just sad). There is little to no profanity in the book, no lurid details (as I mentioned before) and lots of good "little" vignettes about his life. He says he's a good Christian man who knows he's gay not by choice but because that's the way God made him, that he chooses to hang around mostly faith-filled people in his life because he loves God and what I found most touching was that with his success he has taken care of his family...seeing that his parents nor his sister ever have to work again. That's a good son. His parents should be proud of him.

Lance Bass is definately not out of sync. He is probably the most in sync person I know of. I always liked *NSYNC and Lance was my favorite, not sure why, maybe just the fact that he was so soft spoken. Anyway, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Lance in November of 2005 and I can honestly say he is one of the nicest, most gracious people I have ever met. I was so impressed with him and how he conducts himself. After having met Lance I follow him even more closely than before so of course I had to buy his book. This was such an easy read. Lance never brags just relays his truth in all he has done and accomplished. I admire him so much and respect him so much. Not many people can be so honest about themselves and everyone else.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the entertainment industry, anyone who may have an internal struggle....there is nothing like reading about someone else who went through something similar, and with the world watching you no less!!!!

Cheers to you Lance and everything you stand for. You make me proud!

I just finished reading Out of Sync and I have to say that it was a great story! I was a fan of Nsync for a long time and it was interesting to hear some of the things that really went on while he was in the group. It was also hard to read some of it. You only hear bits and peaces of things but to read the truth is interesting. It was honest and true to what he was feeling. It took a lot for him to sit and write about something so personal. I think that the book was well written and for people to expect something perfect well what do you usually read in your spare time!? I think that you should find something else if this isn't your thing! I loved it and can't wait to read it again!

I wasn't expecting that when i received Lance's book that i would start reading it and not put it down until i finished it. I read the whole thing cover to cover in 2 1/2 hours, i just couldn't out it down. The whole thing was great, i loved really hearing about the start of NSYNC and all the trials and tribulations they went through as a band. It really was an emotional roller coaster ride, i actually started tearing up in a few spots, mainly when he was talking about how the band broke up. I would recommend this book to ANY and ALL NSYNC FANS who really want to know what went on behind the glitz and glamor.

I do have a few disappointments with the book. One i would like to have read more about the guys and how they dealt with things together, or how they were all truly 'brothers' as he says. I don't feel we really got a look into them as friends, then we did as them as a business. Also JC and Lance were always my favorite and i was really disappointed that at the end when he starts talking about what each member meant to him to read him say to Chris, Justin and Joey that they were like his brothers but to JC he just said he was an amazing talent. That really caught me off guard, bc recently JC has been the one always supporting Lance in the press and everything, i dunno maybe they are all not truly friends like they all claim to be, or JC and Lance that is.

ALL AROUND THIS IS A GREAT BOOK AND I RECOMMEND ANY NSYNC FANS TO BUY IT AND SUPPORT OUR BOY LANCE!!!!!!

I have always been an Nsync fan. I remember those days, just like they were yesterday. When I started reading this book I was stunned. I felt his pain, his joy, and his eagerness to be loved. I identified with so many parts of his story. (Concerning love and loss that is) When he began to express his feelings over the demise of Nsync, you could just feel the hurt jumping off the page. I believe that he has a wonderful soul. The hurt that he has suffered from the men he has dated, is just unimaginable.

I deeply enjoyed reading this book!!!!!!!

If you were a fan of *NSYNC and loved Lance, you'll love this book. It is very well written and it isn't what you'd call a "sappy" memoir. It is an emotional rollercoaster right from the beginning. The 180 pages were not enough, by the time I finished the book I was begging for more. I would recommend it to anyone.

OUT OF SYNC by Lance Bass is a thoughtful, honest piece of work from Lance Bass. The book is short and provides some definite insights into the man he is. Lance is 27 and has lived thru a lot during those years. He is also gay and with his innocent religious upbringing this was difficult for him to express. Growing up he knew 100% that it was true but he didn't even consider having the right to come out.

His childhood is described mostly in regards to his history with and development of his singing. NSYNC and their journey take up a great portion of the book. Reading the history of the group is very interesting.

I give this book 4 stars not because it is a huge literary achievement or because it is filled with immense soul searching revelations. Let me change thange. For Lance they are life changing, soul searching revelations. Why I give this book 4 stars is because it is truly the written word of Lance Bass. It is not toyed with to great extent by a publisher to make it more intense. It actually reads like a diary in the sense of it being the real Lance Bass. You experience his wonder, joys, pains and revelations.

You also get the impression that Lance Bass has a huge heart. He is still innocent at 27 but has a good head on his shoulders and is well prepared to face his future. He wraps the book up with some deep insights and they are honest and touching.

The media was prepared to attack him with the knowledge of his being gay. He had great respect for his family and how they may be affected. He handled the situation responsibly and did what he needed to do for himself. Writing this book I'm sure was cathartic for him but it also is for the reader. I thank him for sharing a part of his life journey openly and holding nothing back.

His being gay is a part of him the same as anything else - he is still Lance Bass and by sharing his story I'm sure he will help other people, young and old, deal with their sexuality.

Lance was always my favorite back in the day when I loved NSync. I was really excited to find out he had written a book. I still remember the day in the Orlando airport I saw the magazine cover of him coming out. I ran right out to get this book. It is a very quick read at a mere 180 pages. I have to say, as much as I love Lance, I didn't really care for the book. I was disappointed in the length, lack of depth, and overall tone. I didn't expect lurid details, nor did I want them, but it just all seemed so superficial and fake. I wouldn't say Lance sold out, but the book does not really represent him very well. I loved the background stories of his family, growing up...but the rest of the book pretty much pertained to the troubles with their manager and the cosmonaut training. I just felt that it was overkill. The major events in Lance's life (besides Nsync and NASA) were brushed over in a paragraph or two...probably due to the short number of pages. I just didn't feel that I got to "know" Lance any better after reading this. I was just disappointed with it and glad I finished it in a day. I highly recommend that you save your money and borrow it from the library. I wish Lance the best of luck in all his future endeavors, but I would have to tell him not to hold his breath for an Nsync reunion. Trust in your self and your faith will take you far. After all, hard things are put in our way, not to stop us, but to call out our courage and strength.

If you read the review titled "Good Little Read" from October 2007, that pretty much says exactly what I would. Short book, didn't say a lot, kept it clean, didn't provide a lot of details, etc.

I was surprised how short the book is. I got it out of the library Friday evening and finished it in a one and a half days-probably could have finished it less if I hadn't of been working. I thought that this book shouldn't have even been a hardbound, it should have been a supermarket paperback sold at the checkstand. Geez, anybody who pays $25 for this is spending a lot.

I hope he uses his money well, as he will most likely fade into the past and find a second occupation as SO many stars have since the Golden Age of Hollywood and the Big Band era. No different now, except this generation seems to get screwed up easier. Hopefully Lance won't fall into that pit.